Friday, 29 May 2009

My newfound blogger buddy Sarah sent my images that I won in her name the gorjuss girls 2 competition a couple of weeks ago and postie brought them today. I love them, they're just gorjuss!! Thanks hun. I don't know what their proper names are but they're so cute.

I made these cards last night with my goodie bag I bought in February at the http://www.craftworkcards.co.uk/ stand at Make It Show in Farnborough. Hope you like them.

The thank you card was made for a friend who's house we've been to for lunch today. She's a teaching assistant in Emily's class and all her friends were there to play. It was great fun. Thanks for looking.

Wednesday, 27 May 2009

I made this notebook for my best friend who lives in Florida. I coloured the image given to me by the lovely Clare. It's just gorjuss. I've used my fave papers from Papermania Signature Blueberry Hill and other bits from stash. The sentiment I made on the computer. Hope she likes it.

Hi all, I forgot to post about my lovely bag I bought in the market at Puerto Pollenca on holiday in Mallorca. (Seems ages ago now!) It was just hanging there on the stall waiting for me. I loved it straight away. I have a thing for lilac! It's so soft, and although it's not leather it feels like it. And it cost only 12 euros which was great. Just wish I'd bought more.

Anyway, my jewellery making sister bought me these fab big purple beads for my birthday and I've made a bag charm for the bag. I'm just waiting for her to give me a big claw that can replace the green string and attach it properly to my bag. I know it's not the prettiest thing but I like it.

The lovely ladies at Dottie's World are having lots of challenges for their anniversary so why not pop over for a look and chances to win some fab prizes. I've entered the guess the number of buttons challenge.

Friday, 22 May 2009

..... we've decided to go to Littlehampton for the day tomorrow. Wooo hooo. We'll have fun at the funfair with Emily and on the beach. She'll have a good day.

Tim doesn't want to go with us which is a shame. He's getting to the age where it's not cool to go out with mum and dad. Oh well, have to let him go and trust he'll be sensible. Trust works both ways and is only as good as how much we trust each other. He's going to the local town with his friends, male and female, so we hope he'll be good. We trust him. He's been through so much he knows the value of life.

Thursday, 21 May 2009

My lovely mate Clare sent me these for my birthday. I love the card she made for me, it's beautiful, me to a T. She also sent one for my daughter Emily. Bless her. Look at the goodies she sent with the cards.... naughty girl, but nice too. Thanks hun, hugs Clare x

Another part of the blogoversary giveaway. I bought some A5 notebooks from work last night and decided to have a go at covering one. I think it turned out quite nicely, so I decided to add it to the giveaway. Think I'll do some more. They look quite effective don't they? If you want a chance to win the giveaway goodies please leave a comment on the main post dated 22/06/09 not here. Thanks.

Tuesday, 19 May 2009

I've always wondered how you do that thing with text that directly links to someone's blog eg "Emma" that goes to my friend's blog when you click on her name. How do you do that? Can someone help me please it's driving me crazy LOL as I'm sure it's easy when you know how. :-(

I made this card for my best friend who lives in Florida. It's her birthday on Tuesday. Hope it gets there in time. We went to school together and our birthdays are 10 days apart. Even though it's over 25 years since we left school we still keep in touch. We see each other every few years but it's not enough.

I used the Papermania Signature Blueberry Hill papers, with flowers and gems from stash. The image is one lovely Emma sent me (craftyemma) and I've coloured it with watercolour pencils. Thanks for looking.

Saturday, 16 May 2009

The postie bought this the other day for me but I saved it till today as it's my birthday. It's from my lovely blogger buddy Emma http://www.craftyemma.blogspot.com/ she sent me some images and also a card for my daughter's birthday a couple of weeks ago. Thanks hun, really sweet of you. Love the card.

Look what postie bought the other day. I saved it till today as it's my birthday. My blogger buddy, the lovely Joanne http://www.craftingjoanne.blogspot.com/ sent me this card and images for my birthday. Thanks hun, I love it. The images are great, thanks.

Friday, 15 May 2009

I will sort out some goodies next week I promise for my first blogoversary giveaway. I'm just so disorganised at the moment, days fly into weeks and I've been very bad at sending cards, getting sorted etc. Where is this year going?

Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Hooray. Look what postie bought today. What do you think of my fab new photo bag featuring a picture of hubby and kids on the beach on our recent Mallorca holiday? It's great. It's a decent sized shopping bag 35x35x10cm. The photo is on canvas and the rest of the bag is pale blue vinyl with beige leather straps. I can't wait to use it. I love it.

The website is called Bags of Love and sells all sorts of fab photo gifts. The link to it is on the right hand side of my blog titled "Personalised Gifts" . Just click on the link there and take a look at some of the brilliant things they sell, including photo wallpaper. I bet you'll buy something. Go on, be daring.

I made this for a colleague who's birthday is next week. She's a Latin Dance teacher. She used to dance in competitions when she was younger but teaches instead now. I made it using papers and flowers from stash with Jolly Nation Salsa Couple decoupage die cuts. Hope she likes it.

Sunday, 10 May 2009

I'm so annoyed. Before our holiday I made a nice rugby card for my BIL (birthday tomorrow!) but do you think I can find it? NO! Must have had a premature senior moment, LOL as I can't find it anywhere. I'd made it specially as I wanted to show him we still care as my sister's left him and he's feeling really low. Bum. Wanted to post it yesterday. So I'll have to buy one now as it's too late and I'm at work tomorrow. How annoying.

I made this card using the beautiful Papermania Signature Blueberry Hill papers (which I love!) and fabric accessories which accidentally fell into my basket while in the craft shop this morning. OOPS! The colours are so elegant. It's the in-laws 30th anniversary (2nd marriage!) this week. I cut out the 30 myself from the papers then layered it on rectangles of the new paper. I think it's quite understated. Hope you like it, hope they do too!

Saturday, 9 May 2009

Look what postie bought today. My good buddy Emma http://www.craftyemma.blogspot.com/ was really sweet and sent birthday cards for Emily and me and some goodies. I've not opened my card as my birthday's not till next Saturday but Emily was really pleased with hers. How kind she is, thanks hun.

Friday, 8 May 2009

Can't wait now. I was asked a few weeks ago if I'd put an advert on my blog for "Personalised Gifts". It's a fab website which makes all sorts of brilliant photo gifts including bags, books, duvet covers etc. Visit the website by clicking on my link at the top right of this blog.

I'm getting a photo bag with a pic from our Majorca holiday. Can't wait to get it and see what it's like. Will post a picture of it here when it arrives.

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

It still doesn't seem like 5 years ago that Emily was born at home in the bath in less than an hour with daddy as emergency midwife!

I'd woken at 4.20 am needing the loo and started to push. By the time I'd woken David, he'd rung mum and dad to come and get Tim, and he'd rung the hospital to say I was ready, her head was already crowning.

When he knocked on the bathroom door to say he was ready to take me to hospital (5 minutes away by car!) I was still sitting on the loo pushing. He took one look and rang 999.

When they said an ambulance is on the way he said that he could see the baby's head. I think they thought they'd been dealing with an anxious dad until that moment.

When they realised the birth was imminent they gave him instructions by phone. I climbed into the bath (no time for any water!) and within 6 pushes she was born, at 5.15am, before the ambulance arrived. Poor bloke had a bad back and he was leaning over the tub helping me!! I don't know who was shaking the most, me or David.

My son Tim, who was 10 at the time, was sitting outside the house waiting for the ambulance (mainly cos I didn't want to frighten him with my screaming!) The ambulance arrived then mum and dad. The midwife wasn't even anywhere near! So David greeted them all at the door saying "you're too late, she's here!" What a way to enter the world!

People still call her Plug even now, poor kid. Good job she wasn't born in the loo!! Can you imagine the nicknames?

We had a nice evening celebrating Emily's 5th birthday. Mum and dad came over with my baby sister Laura and my other sister's kids Jack & Molly. Emily loved seeing everyone and we had a nice family tea together and Peppa Pig birthday cake. So despite being let down by work (see earlier rants) it was nice. Can't believe my baby is 5. How time flies. She loved her castle card I made her which is good.

Some people are so rude aren't they? The girl who was supposed to cover for me tonight at work so I could be at home with Emily text me late last night to say she was ill and couldn't cover me. She didn't ring in work to tell them. So I've just spoken to my boss and been polite and told her I've been let down. I can't go in now as I've got plans since I thought I was being covered. She wanted me to give in and say I'd go in but I didn't so she hung up on me!! Charming. Seems to me that if you treat people like dirt you get away with it and if you're polite to people you just get dumped on. Lovely society we live in.

....well quite a few really. But it all stems from this one. If your child was invited to a party would you reply to let the host know? Would you turn up with your child unannounced on the day? Would you leave a 5 year old child in the home of someone you didn't know?

I've been pondering these questions since Emily's party. I invited 20 children out of which I had 16 replies (3 of which were no). That left 4 I was unsure of on party day. I think this is extremely rude. 3 of these never turned up but the 4th did. His mum, who I've never met before, just left him with me and I didn't know this poor child. (He was ok as the children are in the same class). Several other parents just left their children with me. I don't mind but I don't know all the parents or the children.

It's bothered me that in this day and age of media coverage of children going missing/being abused people leave their children with strangers. Ok, you can be fairly sure that if your child is going to a party there will be other adults around but I certainly wouldn't leave my children with people I didn't know. And I certainly would have replied to let the host of the party know if my child was attending or not, and would not turn up on the day, if I hadn't replied, assuming it was ok.

Am I being old and grumpy? Or am I not the only one who thinks this? And also, is it surprising that children get smeared with the labels of being bad mannered when their parents don't teach them basic manners? Let me know what you think. I'd be interested to hear.

Monday, 4 May 2009

I saw this somewhere ages ago and meant to post it here cos I thought it was funny, but then promptly forgot (brain like a sieve! LOL) Anyway, I'd like to pass this on to my fellow bloggers and buddies, along with the award in the previous post.

I got this fab award this weekend from my blogger buddy Clare http://wilky-clare.blogspot.com/ . We've got quite friendly in the last few months and she's been very sweet, sending cards and things for my kids at Christmas/birthday. Thanks hun.

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly written text into the body of their award."

I will post in the morning who I'm giving this award to so come back tomorrow. Hugs Clare x

I am really p****d off now. A colleague had agreed to cover my shift tomorrow evening so I could be home for Emily's birthday, and has just text me to say she can't cos she doesn't feel too good. I know you can't help it if you feel ill but have a feeling she wasn't gonna do it anyway. So, what to do? Phone in sick? Can't cos I have 3 weeks off in Jan with lung infection and am likely to get a disciplinary if I have anymore time sick. Or do I just ask for unpaid leave? I'm not going in anyway, cos I've arranged for my parents to come for tea. I just get annoyed when people let you down. Sorry, rant over now....

Due for some serious crafting this week to make up for the last couple of months lack of it:-)

Sunday, 3 May 2009

Emily's party was a great success. I'm just glad it didn't rain. When I woke up this morning to black clouds I was fedup, but the sun shone on and off, and even though it was windy and cold the rain held off.

There were about 17 children 5 years and under running riot in the garden, duffing my 15 year old son Tim and his friend Liam up, despite a 10 year age gap. They were great with the little ones. Thanks guys. Not sure if I've got any pics to post as I'm worn out but will check and post tomorrow if there are some. I think hubby took mostly video of the chaos!! Thanks to all the parents who stayed and helped. Really appreciate it.

Saturday, 2 May 2009

This is the card I made for Emily. I've not added a sentiment yet. I used My Minds Eye papers, ribbon for the flags and a metal sticker for door knob from stash. I know it's not brilliant but she'll love it.

I've actually been doing some crafting for the first time in over a month, maybe longer. I've just almost finished making Emily's 5th birthday card. She's a typical pink girl who loves princesses. So she's having a princess party for her friends on Sunday. Wish me luck, I've got at least 14x 3-5 year olds descending on me then. Hope the weather is good as we're having the party in the garden. Anyway, will take a photo tomorrow (when she's at swimming) and post it here. Night night for now...